Not Ready To Make Nice
by lynn2424
Summary: A 16 year old girl runs into House and insists she's Wilson's long lost daughter. House isn't so sure, but plays along anyways until he realizes that not everybody lies. Sounds cliche but gets unique in later chapters. Mild HW slash!
1. Chapter 1

**I'm sure this kind of story has been done before, but this is my version...anyways, please give it a shot. It will get more interesting and unique in later chapters. R&R Please...I live for reviews!**

**This story is set during some future season...not exactly sure when, but sometime after the current season. **

**It does contain House/Wilson slash, but nothing graphic or anything. Don't like, don't read. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own it, so don't sue me. I do own the character of Kayleigh. You don't. And if you steal her, I'll sue you. Not really. I might cry though. **

"Oh please let her have some rare, random, and seemingly incurable illness that no one in this hospital can diagnose except for, well, me… Speaking of which, why don't more hot, young 16 year old girls get rare, random, and seemingly incurable illness that no one in this hospital can diagnose except for me?"

"Well…she doesn't look very sick."

"If not looking very sick means she's looks sexy, than yes, you're right, she doesn't look very sick. But you're probably right. I bet she has some rare, random, incurable _tumor_ the size of a football…or a football field, in her brain. That's more your department. Fine, steal all of the hot sixteen year olds. I have a patient to see anyways. Who's…probably not sixteen and probably not hot."

House and Wilson had been coming back from lunch, and the two had really no worthwhile subject to chat about except for the low cut blouse that Cuddy had worn today. This led to House giving an in depth explanation of what was happening on General Hospital, until the girl standing in the hallway had caught House's interest, and this proved to be a perfect excuse for House to state another reason why his job truly sucked. After House complained about his new not-hot patient, he watched as Wilson walked into his office. The girl wasn't really his type anyway. Wilson, actually, was more his type. The two had been 'together' for a few months, and so far no one inside the walls of Princeton Plainsboro knew of their relationship, except for of course House and Wilson themselves. And they planned to keep it that way for as long as they possibly could.

House stood in the hallway for a minute, popped a Vicodin, and realized he really did have nothing to do. The new not-hot patient that House had been complaining about wasn't really existent yet, considering he had no new case. With nothing to do, he would soon become bored. And a bored House would scare any sane person away. Far away.

He glanced down at his watch and realized General Hospital was on in 15 minutes. He wasn't feeling like being interrupted while watching his soap today, especially by Cuddy, who would probably find some way of making him do clinic duty, even though he wasn't scheduled for today- or maybe he was, he just really didn't care right now- so he decided to go to Coma Guy's room. Just as he turned around, he nearly collided with the girl that he had spotted before while he was walking with Wilson.

"Oh, sorry," she said apologetically.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you _not_ to run into cripples?"

"Uh…no."

"Well, she should have." House started limping off in the direction of coma guy's room. Hot sixteen year olds were more trouble than they were worth, he decided.

"Wait, do you work here?" the girl asked before he had gotten barely a step away. He turned back around with an annoyed expression on his face.

"No, actually, I don't. I'm a patient, with a rare virus called the India Turkey Flu. It's extremely contagious, and absolute hell to go through. Hope you don't get it." He coughed on the girl dramatically. "Oops. I guess it's a little too late now. Sorry."

It didn't seem like the girl believed him, but House didn't care and tried walking away for the second time.

"Can you at least tell me where Dr. Wilson's office is?" House turned around.

"Damn, I knew you had a football field in your stomach. Could've won money on that too." House said thoughtfully. The girl just stood there with a confused look on her face. Or maybe that was annoyance. House couldn't tell which and decided it was probably both.

"It's that -a-way," he said, pointing in the direction of Wilson's office with his cane. "He's with a patient though, so you'll have to wait with all the other dying cancer kids."

"I'm not a dying cancer kid though."

"Okay, fine, then you're a relative of a dying cancer kid. My point is, you'll have to wait with the other relatives of the dying caner patients."

"I'm not a _relative_ of anyone dying of cancer. At least, I think I'm not. I'm a relative of Doctor Wilson's, actually."

"Nice try, kid. That one actually had some style to it too. See you around. Unless you die of the India Turkey Flu that is."

"It wasn't a _try. _I really am a relative of Dr. Wilson." The girl said, sounding aggravated by now.

"Nope. I don't think so. Wilson _saw _you. I _saw _Wilson _see_ you. If you were some relative of his, wouldn't he be all 'Hey! I know her! It's my grandma Suzie!' and rush over to meet you?"

"Do you think I look like a 'grandma Suzie' ?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Do you think you're avoiding my question?" House asked with a smirk. The girl seemed to give up.

"Dr. Wilson and I have never met before. Actually, he doesn't really know I exist. So, yes, that would explain why he never recognized 'grandma Suzie'."

House pondered the girls statement for a second.

"Hmm. Long-lost relatives…unexplained and unsolved family mysteries…that just earned you a direct pass to Dr. Wilson's office. We even get to pass Go and Collect Two Hundred Dollars."

"Is Dr. Wilson as much of an asshole as you are? Because if he is, I might as well go jump off a cliff right now, because I'll basically be extremely screwed then."

"Oh yeah. Wilson's a real jerk. You think I'm bad- wait til you meet him."

"Oh? And I bet he has the Indian Turkey Flu also?" The girl said sarcastically.

"That really does exist." House insisted.

"Does not."

"Does too. Who are you, really?"

"Take me to Dr. Wilson's office, and I'll tell you."

"Hmm..How 'bout you tell me how you know Wilson, and then I'll take you."

"Where is his office?" The girl tried once more.

"Actually you're looking at it. It's right there. Of course, you won't be able to get in there until he's done with his patient. And considering he's probably giving one of his little 'sorry, you're dying' speeches, that could be a while. So, the only way you're getting in there within the next lightyear is if you tell me who you are, and how you're related to Wilson."

"Alright, alright. My name's Kayleigh Schwitzer. Yeah, I _hate _my last name too. Which is why I was so excited when I found out my last name was really Wilson.

"And just how is you're last name really Wilson? Please tell me you're his..niece..or something."

"No, sorry. I'm ...his daughter." The girl looked up at House expectantly.

"You're his...oh, haha. I see, you're joking. Nice try. Again." House said, in denial. Wilson couldn't have a daughter. Well, he could, it was more than entirely possible. But House could see this ending very badly for himself. If his long lost sixteen year old daughter just walked into Wilson's life...well, Wilson would probably choose the daughter over the gay boyfriend.

"And again, that wasn't a _try_. He really is my father. Unless there's another James Wilson who works in this hospital." Kayleigh said sarcastically.

"Actually, there is. He works in neurology. You know, where he examines people's brains. Where I suggest you go, becuase there's no way Wilson has a daughter." House said stubbornly.

"Not one that he knows exists, anyways. Could you just take me there? Please. He's basically the only family I have left."

"Alright, alright. Save the sob story." House said as he walked into his office.

"Are you taking me to Dr.Wilson's office or what?" The girl, growing more impatient, following House.

"Of course. We're just collecting our two hundred dollars first though."

"You're_ impossible_."

"Oh, like I've neverheard _that_ before."

Like? Please R&R...only way I'll write more!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Well, this is like two weeks late…sorry! I have no excuse, other than the fact that I've been extremely busy and have had some writers block. This chapter is a lot longer than the first though. Thanks so so so so so much to everyone who submitted a review on the last chapter. I'll love you forever!!!!**

**Silvar**: lol, glad to have made you laugh. thanks for the review!

**KylaRyan::** glad you want to read more, here's the next chapter! thanks for reviewing!

**SoralovesRiku**: thanks for reading and reviewing, i know I didn't update fast enough, but hope you like the next chapter!

_From the moment House first laid eyes on the girl, he saw that she had the "look". It might've been fear, lonlieness, desperation, House didn't know which. It was subtle enough that very few people would ever notice, but House's ability to read people was what made him the doctor that he was. _

_It was in her eyes. Eyes that mirrored his own. It was a look that he had acquired only after years of endless interrogations made by a father whom he wasn't sure if he hated, but also wasn't sure if he loved. _

_House knew that things would probably become seriously screwed up between him and Wilson if Kayleigh entered the picture at all. But he loved Wilson enough to not turn the girl away, because he knew that look. He knew Kayleigh hadn't come here just to find Wilson. She had come here to get away from something, or someone, else. _

Kayleigh had pictured this going differently. Much differently. She currently found herself with an asshole of a doctor, standing outside on the patio of what appeared to be an office. Her father's office, she hoped. Because if this wasn't her father's office, she had just wasted the last half hour following around some jerk who really must be a patient with the Indian Turkey Flu.

"Umm, okay…so, what _are _we doing out here?" Kayleigh asked House.

"Grab a rock. Well, actually not a rock. More like a-- this!" House said triumphantly as he held up a pebble. "If you did grab an actual rock, you'd probably break the glass…," he said as he started throwing the pebbles he had collected at the glass door of the office.

"And then the rock would probably hit one of Wilson's bald cancer patients heads, and they would die an even earlier death that originally expected. Which would make Wilson look sorta bad." Through the glass Kayleigh saw, she hoped, her father. The expression on his face went from extremely somber to extremely annoyed in about a half a second when he saw House. He said a few words to the woman sitting at his desk, got up, and opened the door to the patio angrily.

"…and therefore, Wilson would be angry at us for the rest of our lives." House finished, grinning innocently at Wilson.

"Too late. I already am angry at your for the rest of your life, House. I'm with a patient, and yes, she is _dying_, so _leave!" _He whispered harshly to House. Wilson tried shutting the door, unsuccessfully, because House had stuck his cane in the way.

"Normally, I _might_ actually care if one of your cancer kids were dying. However, we have urgent, important…doctor stuff to discuss!" House finished lamely.

_That's a real convincing argument_… Kayleigh thought to herself.

"I'm really not in the mood to play one of your little games House," Wilson said.

"Oh, but you were last night…"

"House! Okay, you have five seconds. _What do you want_?"

"Why, _you_, of course! Just kidding. Or am I? We are in the company of minors after all!" House looked at Kayleigh, who looked extremely annoyed. "Look Wilson, you made me take up my five seconds already!"

"No, you made yourself take up your five seconds. Now for the last time, _leave_!" Once again, Wilson tried unsuccessfully shutting the door.

"Gee Jimmy, alright, I'll get to the point! This little annoying orphan girl that's been tagging me around is Kayleigh."

"Oh, yeah, and you're not annoying at _all." _Kayleigh said sarcastically.

"Well at least I'm not an annoying _orphan girl_." House said. Kayleigh raised her eyebrows. "Right. You're not an orphan. But you are a girl. So I'm one out of three. Wait, no, you're annoying too. So I'm two out of three!"

House stopped talking, and Kayleigh and Wilson just stared there and looked at him expectantly, until he continued on again.

"Right. So, actually Wilson, her non-orphan status is exactly what we're here to discuss!"

"House, what exactly _is _going on here?"

"I think Kayleigh should be the one to explain that actually." House looked down at Kayleigh, who looked back at him rather nervously. Many times she had gone over in her head the words that she would say when she finally met her father and how she would go about telling him, that, well, his sixteen year old daughter had literally popped out of nowhere. But now that she was actually standing here, she'd forgotten everything she's ever thought of, and she really felt like she was on the verge of throwing up. Which wasn't exactly the greatest first impression to make.

"Now or never kid!" House said encouragingly. "Jimmy, maybe you should find something to hold onto. Don't want you're prodigal little head to get hurt when you faint after you hear what little orphan girl has to say!"

"Would you stop calling me 'little orphan girl'!? Kayleigh said exasperatedly. As much of an ass as House was, the constant humor calmed Kayleigh down. House really was one of the strangest people she'd ever met. He was a huge jerk, but at the same time, he seemed alright. Maybe it was all the sarcastic humor.

As for her father, she liked him already.

Kayleigh had been actually dreading meeting her father, because her mother had already proven that she had the most absolute worst taste in guys. Her step-father was the cruelest person she had ever known. To the outside world, he seemed like a guy with a successful career and a wonderful family. Except Kayleigh was the step-daughter, which obviously made her the odd one out. The neighbors thought Kayleigh was just the normal rebellious teenager, who hated her step-dad because he was trying to take the place of her "real dad".

It was the perfect little family movie scene… _"I know I'll never be you're real dad, but, can't we be friends?" _

Oh yeah, that's definitely what the neighbors thought. Her step-dad was the martyr, and Kayleigh, the ungrateful odd-one out.

But that was to the outside world. Inside that house, he was a totally different story.

Kayleigh would have expected her step-dad to obviously favor her younger step-brother, who was his child. But what started to happen when she was ten would change her from a relatively normal little kid to the screwed up teenager she was today.

Since her step dad had moved in when she was five, he'd always yelled and screamed at her constantly. He hit her a few times, maybe grabbed her wrist to prove a point every once in a while, but Kayleigh just sort of accepted it.

When she had turned ten though, the hittings turned into daily beatings, and-

"Earth to Orphan girl! I _finally _get Wilson's attention and you zone out on me?"

Kayleigh had completely spaced off without realizing it. House had broken the complete trance she was in.

"Oh, shit, sorry…I…" Kayleigh mumbled, half-embarrassed, and half totally confused.

"You alright?" At first Kayleigh thought it was House that had spoken, but then realized it had been Dr. Wilson. Her dad. With actual genuine concern in his voice. Something that she had probably never heard from either her mother or her step-father.

"Yeah…thanks." She said, smiling at him. "I…uhh… like Dr. House said, I have something I need to talk to you about...I'm here because I think you used to know my mother...Sarah Ross?

Wilson had a blank look on his face for a second and then seemed to recall the name.

"Sarah Ross," Wilson said, nodding his head. "Yeah, I knew her way back in...it must've been college...she's your mother?"

"Yeah, and, well, I'm here 'cause, well, I, you--"

"Spit it out kid." House said. Kayleigh gave him a look that should've put House six feet under.

"I'm here 'cause I'mkindofyourdaughterandyourkindamyfather." Kayleigh had literally spit out the words and they turned out to be conmpletely unintelligible.

"Excuse me?" Wilson said

_"I'm here, _becase I'm...your daughter."

"Making you her father, just in case you didn't get that." House added with a smirk.

It was Wilson's turn to spit out random sentence fragments.

"I-er-House, is this some kind of joke?"

"Joke? Wilson, when have I ever played a joke on you like this?"

"Oh, I don't know...like that time that hooker that _you_ called showed up at _my_ door. At _three A.M_.. While I was _still married._ _That_ kind of joke. Don't act like you haven't pulled shit like this before."

"Wilson...as much as you wish little Kayleigh will go away, she's not going to magically turn into a hooker. Sorry."

Which made Kayleigh laugh. Which only drew Wilson's attention back to her, and back to the problem at hand. The small little problem that Wilson's sixteen year old daughter had littlerally just literally appeared in his office. And she definately wasn't going away.

Review, please!!! I'm suffering from serious writer's block, and the only thing that inspires me to write are your reviews!!! So, how about leaving a quick review? You know you want too!


	3. Chapter 3

So, up in Cleveland, the coldness has FINALLY revealed it's higher purpose...giving us no school! With wind chills of -20, it's totally too cold to do anything but watch House and write Fanfiction...so it's with total and complete joy that I bring you the next chapter. There's more of House/ Wilson in this chapter, so maybe that'll make it more intresting to you all.

Huge thanks to my reviewers - I'll hero worship you forever!! To my reviewers from ch. 2-

**BananasRockMySocks08-** Thanks! Glad you like it. I'll keep writing if you keep reading and reviewing, deal? lol. Thanks!!!

**FutilityIsNotReal-** Yay! I didn't make millions of grammar errors, lol. I tend to try and read and reread and reread to check for errors, and I guess I caught all of them last chapter, lol. Thanks so much for reviewing. It means a lot!!!!!

**Chapter 3**

The room remained quiet for a few more seconds.

House looked at Wilson. Wilson looked at Kayleigh. Kayleigh looked at House. Kayleigh wondered if her father was going to have a heart attack or a hernia. Both options seemed entirely possible at the moment.

Of course, it was House who finally broke the silence.

"So...should I tell the dying cancer patient waiting in your office that you havve much more important things to attend to now?"

"Uh..." Wilson just sort of stared and seemed incapable of coherent thought.

"I'll take that as a yes, I suppose. Told you this was important doctor stuff!"

House dissapeared into the office for a few seconds, and then he came back onto the patio to find Wilson in the same state as before, and Kayleigh standing there looking nervous.

"Relax...you haven't killed him...yet." House said smirking at Kayleigh. "You still with us Wilson?"

Wilson looked up at House and finally said the first semi-coherent thing he could think of.

"Your mom-who...?"

Kayleigh actually sort of understood the question. "You probably knew my mom as Sarah Ross. She's married to a total bastard now..."

Wilson sighed and put his face in his hands.Once again House broke the silence.

"Sarah Ross...So Wilson, was it a one night stand or, what? And, God, for Kayleigh to be sixteen now, you were in like, what- second grade?" House said, making the situation ten times worse if that was at all possible.

"House, could you _not_ be a complete ass for like, three seconds, while I think?" Wilson said angrily.

House thought for a moment. "Sure! One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi- So, Kayleigh, you're mom hot?"

Kayleigh shot what was probably the fifth death glare at House that day, even though she had only known him for about...half an hour.

The room went quiet _again._

"Maybe...I should...leave for a while...give you a second to think things out?" Kayleigh said softly.

Wilson stared at her for a second. "Uh...No, no don't leave. I'm sorry, this is just..."

"Sudden, yeah. I know...this is a lot different than I thought this would go, but..." Kayleigh looked over at House, and Wilson picked up on the glance.

"Yeah, well, a _lot _of things go differently becuase of House...like, my life, for example." he said, in all seriousnes.

"Hey, hey, don't blame you're three ruined marriages and little orphan Annie dropping out of the sky on _me_!" House said defensivley.

"Listen, how about we go and talk things over..._alone_." Wilson said, looking at House as he said the last word. "Besides, I thought you'd be gone by now- aren't you missing you're beloved General Hospital anyways?"

"Today, Wilson, you're life _totally_ beats a Soap Opera!"

Which actually made Wilson smile. "Gee...I'm honored that you would choose me over General Hosptial."

" Well, Wilson, you should be." House said serioulsy. "But, fine, I'll leave you two to have some heartwarming father-daughter moments if I _have_ to."

"Let me just run down and cancel the rest of my appointments for the day. I'm sure that'll make Cuddy's day..."

"Better watch out- she's already pissed off as it is."

"Why, what'd you do now?" Wilson asked.

"Notthing! She shouldn't be _this_ moody. Maybe she's pregnant..." House said, sounding like he was deep in thought.

"Or...maybe not. How about you come with me then so Cuddy dosen't make me do clinc duty for the next...100 years."

"You actually think my presence will lighten the mood?" House asked.

"Uhhh...No. But come with me anyways. Kayleigh, how about you stay here, I'll be back in just a second."

House looked over at Kayleigh.. "Well, so long, child of Wilson...I guess I'll be seeing you around sometime."

"Oh...I'll definately look forward to that..." Kayleigh said, laughing.

"You better," House said. He decided that if Wilson had to have a sixteen year old daughter pop out of nowhere, Kayleigh would be his lost child of choice. She didn't seem like you're average whiny teenage brat. She had something about her that made House _not_ want to plant her six feet under a lettuce patch, unlike the majority of teenagers that walked through the doors here. Maybe it was the Wilson in her.

Quietly he wondered how she would react if she found out about the whole...relationship between him and Wilson. Becuase he had a feeling that Kayleigh was here to stay for a while, and hell if she was going to keep him away from Wilson. He'd waited to long _already_ to get Wilson to admit that what they felt between each other was a little more than what best friends should feel. And now that they were together, here came Kayleigh, ready to screw up everything he'd worked so hard to get. But she did seem different, somehow, and House found himself wondering, maybe hoping, that if they told Kayleigh everything that she just might be okay about it. Or she might go screaming in the other direction into traffic and get hit by a car. Either way was good, House decided, because he'd would end up with Wilson all to himself in both scenarios. Though he hoped he could avoid the whole dead Kayleigh thing.

"So, are you really alright?" House asked Wilson quietly a few moments later as they walked down the hall to Cuddy's office. House had a feeling that Wilson needed to talk to him when he had asked him to come with him to Cuddy's office.

"What do you think?" Wilson said. He suddenly grabbed House's arm and dragged him into the door that had suddenly appeared to the right, which House realized was the bathroom. Wilson glanced around to see if anyone was in the room, and before House realized what was happening, he found himself being roughly pushed against the door and with Wilson kissing him like his life depended on it.

Wilson finally broke away and thier foreheads met softly. "God...I needed that..." he said quietly and slightly out of breath.

"No shit. Maybe your sixteen year old daughter should pop up more often. I kinda like you like this.. " House said, running his hand through Wilson's hand.

"Is this_ really _happening? I mean...what am I going to do with a _daughter_? I have no idea what to with kids..." Wilson said, sounding like he was on the verge of a breakdown.

"Hey- Wilson, look at me. Seriously, you're _great_ with kids. You know that. Those little bald headed five year olds hero worship you. And Kayleigh seems great, you know?."

"Yeah, she does...she really does." Wilson said, as he walked away from House. He walked over to the counter, leaned against it, and put his face in his hands.. "I'll...call you tonight, I suppose. I'll take her to my place. We'll talk...or something. I don't even know how long she'll want to stay." he said, looking into the mirrors.

House came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "This probably seems really bad right now...but...everything will be alright. You have a _daughter_, Wilson. This isn't something upset about. You should be happy." But House didn't seem very happy himself. Wilson remained quiet for a moment.

"You're thinking about what this is going to mean for- us?" Wilson said, uncertainly.

House thought for a second. "Whatever happens, happens. Maybe she'll be okay about it."

"You know she won't be."

" Look, go. Talk to your daughter. Maybe this is that something you've been...missing."

" I thought you were supposed to be the something I was missing." Wilson said, turning to face House.

"Yeah. I thought I was too." House said quietly. Wilson stood there looking lost for a moment, and then walked out of the bathroom with House trailing behind him.

You know what would make my super amazing snow/too-cold-for-school day even more amazing? REVIEWS!!! Please??? Much love to anyone who says hi, lol. Next chapter hopefully coming soon...this chapter was probably the hardest to write, so I'll be able to update much more often now. Thanks to anyone who reviews!!!!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

So...this is basically turning into a novel, haha. To all who reviewed last chapter, thanks!! This chapter is really long, so enjoy everyone!

**For everyone asking about the DNA test, it's actually the very first thing mentioned in the chapter. And as a warning there are mentions of child abuse in this chapter. Kind of depressing stuff, but it will get happier. Once again, thanks for reading!**

****

-one-

"So, lets set up a theoretical situation here. You're best friends long lost daughter pops out of nowhere. Does one...do a DNA test or something...I mean, what if she isn't my daughter, and..." Wilson and House were on the way back from Cuddy's office, and Willson's mind was spinning with questions about what to do with his daughter who had suddenly popped out of nowhere.

"Damn. You dropped the theoretical-ness quite fast there." House complained. "Anyways, I suppose you could. It would probably be a big waste of time and energy. And then there's all that useless drama over the letter opening. It'll be all "I cant' open it! Should I open it? Is she really my daughter- or isn't she?! You open it, I can't dare to look!'" House said in an overly dramatic look. Wilson just looked annoyed.

"I'm…uhh...not picking up on your point."

"Oh for God sakes Wilson, look at the child! Your child to be more specific. She's _you._ Same eyes, same smile, same obsessively blow-dried hair. Do you think there was even a chance that I would have let her within fifty feet of your office if I had a doubt about you being her father?"

"I...you think she looks like me?"

"Hey, I wonder if she inherited your stupidity too!"

_**-two-**_

Kayleigh sat in her father's office and ran through in her mind all of the deep shit she was probably in with her parents back home. There was no way that she could ever go back there now anyways, and even if she could, she would probably choose living in a cardboard box and squeegee people's car windows for a living over going back. If the last encounter with her parents was anything to base her judgment off of, they would rather have her squeeging than returning home as well. If she could even call it home. Right now, this office felt more like home than her mother's house ever did.

Kayleigh sensed something about her father that made her feel like maybe he actually cared about her. He just seemed genuinely kind, which was a feeling she had never picked up on from her mom and step-dad. Kayleigh's fear, however, was that it would take more than kindness for her father to invite her to live with him. As much as she wished for a new home, with someone that actually cared for her, she knew that asking to stay with him would be too much. Even if she was his daughter, a magically appearing sixteen year old would majorly uproot anyone's life, and she didn't want that for anyone, even if it meant squeegees and cardboard boxes for her.

Right now, however, she just wanted to be a normal teenager, with normal parents and a normal life.

Bringing her out of her thoughts, once again, was House. She heard him before she saw him.

"Told you she's pregnant. Her breasts are huge today!"

"Good to know you were staring at Cuddy's breasts instead of pleading my case for why I shouldn't be doing clinic duty for the next 200 years..."

"Anything for you."

House and Wilson came into the room and caught the smirk on Kayleigh's face that had been left over from listening to the two's conversation.

"Long lost child of Wilson! We meet again!" House declared triumphantly as he spotted Kayleigh.

"Long lost...doctor whose a royal pain in the ass and whose name I don't really know yet! We meet again!" Kayleigh said, mimicking House perfectly.

"You're right. We haven't even been introduced. That's a shame right there!"

"Oh...I know, right?" Kayleigh said sarcastically.

"Doctor Greg House, only the most amazing diagnostician whose ever rocked your world!"

Kayleigh just stared at him until she burst out laughing. "Yeah...no." she said, smiling.

"He's interesting, isn't he?" Wilson said, sounding more like he was talking about the chimpanzee in the zoo than about his best friend.

"Oh...quite." Kayleigh said.

"All right House, remember before what I said about leaving? _Leave." _Wilson said, though not sounding very serious.

"_Fine." _House said, in the same tone as Wilson had said his last word. "You two have fun now." And he left the room, surprisingly, without giving much of a fight.

"So...I...I don't even know what to say, actually." It was now just Wilson and Kayleigh in the office, and Wilson spoke the truth. He literally didn't know what to tell his...daughter. The word sounded strange to him, even in his head.

Kayleigh laughed slightly, because, obviously, she didn't either.

"So…did your mom ever tell you about me before, or...is she here with you?" Wilson asked uncertainly, finally thinking of some coherent statement to say to her.

"My mom? No. Most definitely not. She has absolutely no idea where I went. Well, at least I hope she has absolutely no idea where she went. Wouldn't wanna cause a scene now..."

"You think she'll report you as a run-away?" Wilson said, realizing it was a complete possibility that she could actually be arrested for running away as a minor, if her mom really had no idea where she was.

"Hmmm...maybe if she's bored..." Kayleigh said with a smirk. "Seriously though...if the cops show up and take me to Juvie hall for running...whatever.. I mean, Juvie would be like ten times better than my mom's house, no joke."

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad..." But even as the words came out of Wilson's mouth, he wondered if it really could be _that bad_. "The majority of teenage girls hate their mothers, don't they?"

"Oh, it's not really my mom. I mean she can be a bitch sometimes, but, so can I, so it's understandable." And she was smirking again. "But it's my step-dad that's the real problem."

"So basically it's him that you ran away from?"

"Yeah...I .just got sick of everything. So I left. Once I found out enough information to track down you."

"And it all comes back to me..." Wilson said, smiling at her.

"Oh of course it does! It better. I'm basing this whole running away thing on the unproven fact that you really are my dad."

Which brought Wilson's mind wandering back to the previous conversation and knew right away that House was right.-as usual, of course. He saw the similarities right away and wondered how he'd missed them before. Kayleigh must have caught the look on his face.

"Why are you giving me that look?" Kayleigh asked, smiling slightly.

"No reason. Just, something House said to me about you."

"..and just what did he say about me?" Kayleigh asked skeptically.

"Oh, nothing too horrible. He said that you look a lot like me. That could be good or bad, depending on your point of view of my dashingly handsome features." Wilson said, smiling at her.

"Oh, I think I'm quite dashing myself as well." Kayleigh said laughing.

"He's right, though..." Wilson said. "But we probably should get some DNA tests done, just to be sure it wasn't some other good-looking doctor's eyes you inherited."

"My thought's exactly. Just in case I do get thrown into Juvie and you have to come rescue me."

The room was quiet for a moment, and then Wilson thought of something he had been wondering since the moment he saw first saw his daughter.

"So, uh...it sounds like your backup plan was Juvie hall…meaning this is your only place to go?"

'Well...sort of. Besides a few friends houses. I dunno. I just sort of left, with no intention of going back."

"So you _do_ need a new place to stay..?" Wilson said, sort of dancing around the issue. He leaned back in his chair and wondered exactly where this conversation was going. He wanted to get to know his daughter, of course. But he definitely wasn't ready to raise a sixteen year old.

"Er- well, yeah. But, I know that my unexpected presence is kind of a, well, pain in the ass probably. I basically just wanted to meet you. After that, I hadn't really planned where I was going to go, because I didn't know what you were going to be like. Judging on my mom's other choice of guy's I expected you to be a total bastard."

"And did I live up to your expectations?"

"Not at all. Which is awesome.. You're really...different than I thought you'd be."

"Different in a good way?"

"Yes, we've already established that fact!" Kayleigh said, laughing. "But...yeah. You seem pretty cool. So...I don't' know if this is too sudden or anything-"

Kayleigh stopped when a smile spread across Wilson's face.

"All right, all right, yeah, my presence itself is too sudden..." she said, laughing. "Anyways, I was wondering...could I stay a few days maybe? Just until I figure things out."

"I would be glad if you stayed a few days," Wilson said, still smiling at her. "Stay as long as you want. Stay sixteen years if you want. God knows that's how much time I owe you."

"Really? You sure?" she said, trying not to sound too excited, even though she was basically the happiest she could be right now. No squeegees! At least for a few days.

"Of course you can stay. If you don't mind sleeping on the couch, that is."

"Not at all. A couch at your place sounds a hell of a lot better than Juvie hall.."

"Let's hope it is... So- lunch? What do you like to eat?"

"Uhh, well basically anything. My mom couldn't even make a grilled-cheese sandwich without burning it, and my step-dad...well he's a different story entirely. So basically my choices were McDonalds or... McDonalds every day."

"Well, sounds like you need real food then. There's an Italian place up the street, we could go there."

"Whoa. You're like, psychic or something. Spaghetti is my favorite food in like the whole world. Only I haven't had it in like seventeen billion years."

"What, they don't serve spaghetti at McDonalds anymore? That's a shame…I'll have to make you some at home too. " Wilson said, rememebring the last time he'd cooked spaghetti. He'd almost forgotten it was cooking and nearly burnt the House's apartment to the ground.

"Ah! A parent who can actually cook! I knew this would work out! You cook a lot?"

"Yeah, and even House says my food's pretty damn good, which must be a compliment because House doesn't really like anything."

"You cook for Dr. House a lot?" Kayleigh asked curiously.

Wilson inwardly swore. He had to watch what he said about House more carefully. He kept slipping up a lot more recently. And a slip up abot his gay boyfriend in front of his sixteen year old daughter who he had met about two hours ago would not lead to good things at all.

"I...uh…yeah. He comes over for Poker night every week." Wilson thought of the first random, lame excuse that came into his head.

"Oh...poker night with House...sounds...fun."

"Ha. Yeah he's a real laugh. He's a jerk, but once you get to know him he's not that bad. You kind of just get used to it."

Wilson to steer away the conversation away from House and decided it was time to leave for lunch. He spent the next few hours catching up on sixteen years of his daughter's life. She didn't go into great detail about her life at home, but made a point about her step-dad. It sounded like he had made her life hell. As the minutes passed, he began to get the feeling that Kayleigh was really here to stay. He also started to get the feeling that this could definitely be the end of his relationship with House. He decided only time would tell. He had a daughter to raise now.

****

-three-

"Hey"

House was relieved to hear Wilson's voice. "Hey...you alright?"

"Yeah…I…we talked. A lot."

"Uh-huh. You alright?" House asked again.

"Yeah...we talked."

"Uh-huh...you-"

"House! No. No, I'm not really alright, but since you already know I'm not alright stop asking me!"

"Is she still there?"

"Yeah...she's asleep. On the couch. She doesn't have anywhere else to go."

"So, what, she ran away from the evil step parents?" House asked with a small laugh.

"Something like that...I...I don't know. She said a lot of stuff. I don't know if she was serious, or if I should be worried about it, or what...I just...God, kids should come with Goddamn instruction booklets or something...I just don't know.." Wilson said, sounding slightly lost.

"Relax Wilson. You've been a father for like, two whole hours. These things take time."

Which actually got a laugh out of Wilson, but only for a second. "I'm serious though...some of the things she said..."

"...like...?"

"I don't know...just, stuff about her step-dad mainly. She went on about how much of a bastard he was to her, and how bad he treated her, and...do you think it's just normal teenage stuff, or something more? I mean...you know what I mean. It's like he..abused her or something."

Silence.

"House...you would pick up on something like that, right? I mean, you went through it...can you see that in Kayleigh?" Wilson knew it was a touchy subject with House, who had only very recently confided in him about his childhood, but he had to ask.

Silence.

"House?"

"I...yeah. Yeah, a little." House said quietly. "I don't know, Wilson. Just...talk to her. Let her stay for a while."

"I am. She was worried... She thought I wasn't going to let her stay. But...I am."

"Yeah...I know. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too...but...I can't tell her about...us...you know? Not yet."

"No, no don't tell her. We'll...be okay. We'll just have to spend a little more time in my office. You know what I just noticed? The funny thing about blinds..._they_ _close. _Doors too, for that matter."

Which got another laugh out of Wilson. "Good to know you finally figured that one out. Maybe we'll just have to put you're superior brain power to good use."

"Oh, we will, we will...In the meantime…get some sleep. You sound like hell."

"I _feel_ like hell. I called off work tomorrow, so...I'll call you."

"Or maybe I'll call you first...talk to her, alright?"

"I will.. I...it's different, you know?"

"What's different?"

"Having a daughter. A kid. It's like...I just met her, but I love her already. People say that, but you don't really know what it's like until it happens to you. Maybe...maybe this'll all be okay. I don't see how, but..."

"It _will_ be okay. She's _your_ kid. She can't be that _bad_."

"Yeah. Yeah. Well... I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

"You better. You know who I'll be thinking about tonight, right?"

"Who- Paula the hooker?" Wilson said, laughing.

"You know before when I said Kayleigh inherited your stupidity? I really hope she didn't- or else we'd have two total dumbasses running around."

****

-four-

Every night, she was stuck in that same, hellish world. Her mind would force her back to the same things that had been forced upon her during the day. The dreams came every night, without fail. She hadn't gotten a full night's sleep in God knows how long. The vivid detail of the dreams was frightening, and it never failed to amaze her just how _real _it all seemed. Now that she was asleep, on her father's couch, and supposedly safe, she was counting on the dreams stopping, because she wasn't in that constant state of fear...

"Kayleigh...Kayleigh!"

She sat bolt upright, out of breath and in a cold sweat. The norm for waking up nowadays in the middle of the night in her bed. Except...she wasn't in her bed. She really had no idea where she was. Or who had woken her up.

Her first rational thought was that it was her step-dad, and so when the figure above her moved a little closer she almost hyperventilated and shot over to the other side of the...couch. It was then that she realized that she wasn't in her bed in her regular home, and the person above her definitely wasn't her step dad, but her real dad.

"Kayleigh, are you alright?" her dad said softly. And there it was again. Genuine concern.

"I...I'm...yeah.." Kayleigh said, still trying to catch her breath, and still slightly confused about where she was exactly.

"Bad dream?" Wilson asked quietly.

"Very.." she said, taking a deep breath and relaxing a lot. She felt a need to lighten the situation. "I just totally made an idiot out of myself, didn't I?"

"Not at all..." her dad said, smiling a little, but sounding serious at the same time. "You have these a lot?"

"I...no, not really." And then she looked at her dad and realized something. He actually _cared_. This wasn't her third grade teacher asking about she had gotten that bruise on her arm- 'Oh, I tripped. No big deal'. And then the teacher would nod and smile and move on. That's how it had been her whole life. People might be concerned for a moment, but they really didn't care enough to actually press the matter. The signs were all there. People just ignored them.

And here was someone who finally- finally- might care enough to actually see all of the signs that so obviously pointed to what was really going on. But when her dad actually did press the matter, when he actually did ask her about those dreams- which were just mirror images of what happened to her during day- she didn't really know how to react. And suddenly Kayleigh wished that she had told him that, yes, the dreams come _every_ _single damned night, _and that she hadn't gotten a full night's sleep in God knows how long, and if getting a full night's sleep was her biggest problem than she would be thanking God, because it most definitely wasn't. Her biggest problem was how her step-dad made her life a living hell, and how she had wanted to escape that life for so long. It had been so long, however, that she just didn't know how to get out now. And when her real dad- who had showed more concern for her in the last five minutes than she could have ever hoped for from anyone else- asked her if she was okay, well, she didn't exactly know how to say anything else rather than, of course she was fine, because why wouldn't she be? She just didn't know how to ask for help anymore, because she simply never had been given the chance to.

But Kayleigh looked up at her dad after she told him that the dreams came rarely, her dad looked...skeptical. Like he didn't believe her. It was like he could tell she wanted help. And Kayleigh jumped at the chance.

"No…wait...I…they come every single night. _Every_ night. I thought they'd stop, because I'm well, here. But they didn't."

Her dad just simply sat down on the couch next to her. "Is it the same dream?" He asked quietly.

"It...no. Not the exact same dream. But it's about the same...thing…in general, sort of."

"You want to talk about it?"

"I...yeah. I.do. Would you believe me, though, if I told you…something?"

"Something...what?"

"About my mom and step-dad. Why I hated it so much there...would you believe me?"

"Of course…why wouldn't I?"

"Because all the people who I've told this to- and that's been like, two, didn't believe me. They wrote it off as attention seeking behavior or some other psycho crap like that..."

"I'll listen Kayleigh...what happened with them?"

"A lot...My mom and step-dad always obviously looked down on me as sort of an outsider, and they treated me like one all my life. Things really weren't that bad until I turned about 7 or 8... they always yelled, screamed- harassed me in one way or another- but my step-dad got bored with that and moved on to hitting me. It wasn't too bad at first, but it just got worse until I became a sort of anger management for him on a daily basis. Still though, it was bearable. But when I turned ten...that's when things just sort of spiraled out of control with him...One night, he came into my room, and..." Kayleigh had been looking anywhere but at her father up until then, but her eyes finally met his and she saw the disbelief on his face.

"He...he raped you?" He asked very quietly. Kayleigh put her face in her hands and fought back tears. She was relieved that her dad had asked the question, because she would never be able to say it. The two times she had said it, no one had believed her. It sounded so final, though, being said out loud.

She jumped when she felt her dad's hand on her shoulder. Looking up at him she tried to regain some of her composure. If the truth was going to come out, it was going to be the whole story, not just part of it. She'd waited too long to tell this to someone who actually cared.

"It...it wasn't just once either. He hurt me up until the day I left to find you. At first I was terrified to tell anyone- he threatened me. But after awhile, I started having these nervous breakdowns at school, and when the psychiatrists asked me what was going on in my life, I always lied, except for once. When I did finally tell someone, they couldn't find any physical evidence, and they wrote me off as attention-seeking tendencies. I told another teacher, but the same thing happened. I just sort of accepted everything after that and gave up. Until I decided to find you."

She looked back up at her father, who still had a slightly shocked look on his face.

"God Kayleigh...I'm so, _so_ sorry. If I had known...I..."

"Don't. You didn't know about me. How could you have?...My mother was wrong about never telling you about me. But that's why I'm here now...I just needed someone…anyone...who actually cared. I didn't think you would...but you do." She looked at her father again. And with that she proceeded to completely break down. She allowed herself to be wrapped up in the comforting arms of her real father, and cried herself to sleep. And she felt safe for what felt like the first time in her life.

**_-end-_**

So that was kind of depressing, huh? Next chapter will be less depressing I swear! This is just sort of a filler/ back ground chap that I had to sort of get out of the way. . Please please review. I know I've been really slow on updates (sorry!) but I promise to put the next one up faster- reviews will definitely encourage writing though! (hint hint) Thanks for reading!!!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone- I FINALLY updated! Sorry for the long long delay, but life's been crazy, and I've had serious writer's block. Here's the next chapter- huge thanks to everyone who's been reading, and esp. those who have been reviewing! Here's some replies to my awesome reviewers!!

Shallicoe- Thanks for the reveiw! Glad you like the story and I hope you keep reading! Please review if you like the next chapter. I saw your review and it inspired me to finally sit down and write this chapter!

LOTRluvrofRent- Glad you like the story! Please keep reading and reviewing!

jamiekid9- thanks for all your reviews, and hope you like this chapter! It does start to get a little less depressing, esp. in ch. 6, so keep reading (and reviewing!!!)

And things start to get a little less depressing in this chapter..sort of, lol. Thanks for reading, and PLEASE review!!

**Chapter 5**

It was happening again, Kayliegh thought miserably as she tried to block the thoughts from her head. He was going to make her suffer, just like countless nights before. She knew fighting back was useless, but he kept whispering her name in his ear, and it was only a matter of time before...there was a hand on her shoulder, and as soon as the hand moved to her head she reacted violently in the only move of self defense she could think of and punched out at her attacker as hard as she could.

"Shit Kayleigh!" The cry woke her from her sleep, and she was terribly confused for a moment until she realized -again- that it was not her stepdad who was there, but her real dad- who now had blood streaming out of his nose. Kayleigh realized she had not dreamed the punch, which must have been better aimed than she thought it had.

"Oh God dad I'm sorry!" Kayleigh apologized as she sprung off the couch. "I thought-"

"I know, I know," Wilson said, dazed, as he began to sit down.

"Here, sit down, let me look at it...Oh, God, I'm sorry..." Kayleigh said in a frenzy. "It actually doesn't look that bad...It probably feels worse than it is..."

"You punch hard, kid." Wilson said, trying to smile a little.

"I'm sorry! I was having this dream-"

"Yeah, you seemed kind of...restless- which is why I tried to wake you up. Won't try that again soon..."

"I thought-"

"I know, Kayleigh...It's okay..."

"Let me get something to stop the blood...I'm really, really sorry!" Kayleigh said, running towards the bathroom.

"It's okay..." Wilson said again while he tried to stop the blood that was beginning to get all over the living room. Life with a teenage girl, so far, was...a tad different than he had imagined it being.

About an hour later things were a little more peaceful between Kayleigh and her father. Kayleigh was eating what she had declared to be her first real breakfast, since she was used to either Captain Crunch or nothing at all. One thing she could definitely get used to quickly was her father's cooking, she decided.

"So...do you want to talk about last night at all?" Wilson asked quietly. He didn't want to force the girl to say anything, but didn't want her to start to block him out already either.

"I...yeah, I do. But...not right now. I'm...I'm glad that you know- ..and, yeah I'll probably want to talk more sometime, but...not today. I just want to get used to life without them right now."

"Alright- but if you do need to talk- day, night, whenever, just let me know…I'll listen. Of course, if I'm not listening, you could just punch me again, because that sure got my attention."

"Sorry..." Kayleigh said guiltily, but Wilson just laughed.

"Anyways...I called off work today. I've got an extra bedroom- it's sort of half-office, half-storage right now but I think it'll make a decent sized bedroom once we get it cleaned up."

"I get a bedroom?"

"Er- of course. Unless- unless you don't want to stay, I just thought-"

"You want me to stay-like, live here?"

"Yes- I've told you, I want you to stay for as long as you want to."

"Really!?" And she squealed like only a sixteen year old girl could. "Thank you. So much. I- can I see the bedroom!?"

Around three, Wilson's nerves were on edge from the lack of sleep form the night before and the fact that he was in a constant state of confusion as to what to do with Kayleigh. He knew he had to talk to House, and so he quickly made up an excuse and told Kayleigh he had to go venture out to the grocery store to get food for dinner. Although he felt slightly guilt about lying to Kayleigh already when he had met her less than 24 hours ago, he reasoned his sanity wouldn't last much longer if he didn't leave for even a few minutes. He simply had to get his thoughts in order, espically about what his daughter had revealed to him last night.

"Had to get away from the kid already?" House said when Wilson appeared at his door.

"We have to talk." Wilson said seriously.

"We have to talk." House repeated matter-of-factly as he followed him into the living room.

Wilson sat down on the couch with his face in his hands. "How...how could I not have known?"

"Known what?" House asked, though he already knew the answer.

"I've had a daughter for the last sixteen years and I had no idea..."

House sat down next to him. "Wilson..." he said quietly as he reached out and stroked his bangs.

"No. No- The things she went through- if I had known...she wouldn't have had to suffer like that..."

House didn't say anything, just waited until Wilson turned to face him.

"There was nothing you could have done to protect your daughter in the past sixteen years. Nothing that happened to her was your fault. Now...what happened?"

House sat there quietly while Wilson told him everything that Kayleigh had revealed to him last night, and by the end Wilson was crying softly in House's arms. "I just...I don't know what to do."

"She'll be okay. She has you now...she'll be fine. I know she will." House whispered quietly.

"But, what do I know House? I have no idea how to raise a kid. I mean..."

"No one really does though, do they? But it sounds like you're doing something right - Kayleigh's already trusted you with something that she's told almost no one else...she trusts you. She's a good kid Wilson. It's about time she had someone like you to look after her."

They sat there for a few more moments in silence until Wilson collected himself finally and decided he'd been gone getting groceries for long enough. Which reminded him that he actually would have to bring some kind of groceries home.

"This sneaking around thing is getting old already, It's bad enough at the hospital, but at home too?" House said as they headed for the kitchen for Wilson to grab a few random things to take home.

"I know…but…" Wilson ended lamely, not sure what to say.

"We'll figure something out." House said, though not very reassuringly. "By the way- what the hell happened to your nose?"

Wilson just laughed.

The following night was very much like the one before, with nightmares leaving Kayleigh in restless sleep, and Wilson waking her up to offer whatever comfort he could. The next few days passed quickly, and it amazed Wilson how just how little time it had taken him to get used to Kayleigh's presence. He wrestled with the idea of having Kayleigh call her mother and tell her where she was, but when he voiced this, the small look of fear that passed in his daughters eyes as if the thought alone scared her was enough to make him drop the idea. So he simply decided to wait it out, and see if Kayleigh's mother even cared enough about her to come looking for her daughter.

The return to work came easy enough, and after a day or two back he came to a stunning revelation. For one of the first times since he could remember, he actually wanted to go home. For so many years, work, and his friendship with House, had been the only things that he had ever really had. Even during his three short marriages, work was usually a welcome haven away from home, away from women that he knew he had never really loved. He was trying to fill an empty space that could be filled by one person, and one person only- House.

But now that he had a daughter at home, things were different. He wanted to go home, wanted to get away from it all, wanted to get to know Kayleigh better and make up for the past sixteen years. He was the happiest he had been for quite some time, and it was a very welcome change.

But while House did prove that blinds were indeed a wonderful invention, the two missed seeing each other outside of the hospital. House began to stop by Wilson's every now and they would watch a movie with Kayleigh. It was kind of like old times, except back then there had been no sixteen year old in the room, who they both felt was watching their every move. During these times, they barely looked at each other, because in their paranoid minds they thought if they even made eye contact Kayleigh would somehow make the connection that they were together.

One day, after Kayleigh had gone to sleep and House was leaving, they had the conversation that they both knew was coming, but would have given anything to avoid.

"House...we have to tell her- about us. Soon.." Wilson felt relieved the moment the words left his mouth, though he had been dreading the whole night saying them.

" Yeah... we do." House agreed. "As much as I want to...we can't go on like this...hiding at work and at home- it's...not working. But...she might be okay with it, you never know..." though the idea of sixteen year old being perfectly fine with her father being in love with another man seemed ridiculous even when he thought about it.

"I...maybe" Wilson said quietly. "But...I don't think she will be. And, if she's not...God, House...I don't know how to say this."

"Wilson, everythings going to be okay..."

"No, House, it's not. Not between us- and you know it." Wilson drew in a deep breath. Now or never. He looked into House's eyes and told him what he'd been dreading since the moment Kayliegh showed up. "I'm not turning my daughter away. You know what she's been through. I'm telling her about..us..tomorrow.And...if she's not okay with us being together, then...we just can't be together."


	6. Chapter 6

Hey everyone! I think this is my fastest update ever. It's also kind of short, but I think you all will like it- I hope! Anyways, I'm going to start updating faster since I'm almost out of school. Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing. Here's some replies to my awesome reviewers!  
To **Jamiekid9, giff4088, arabellaw, and House1Nocturne**: I'm really glad you all are reading the stories and you're reviews all inspire me so much. Thanks!! Pleeeeasse keep reading and reviewing. Your kind words will maybe keep me alive during finals at school next week!

**Chapter 6**

"Hey, Kayleigh. We, uh, we need... can we talk?" Wilson asked Kayleigh anxiously the next day. He was having a hard time remembering the last time he had been this nervous.

"Umm...okay...Is this one of those 'we need to talk about the weather because I'm bored kinda things' or the 'we need to talk about something that's going to alter your entire life kind of things?" Kayleigh asked, sounding slightly apprehensive.  
"Umm...you can decided on that." Wilson said nervously. How the hell was he going to tell his sixteen year old daughter that he was...  
"Okay." Kayleigh started to sound nervous as well. She_ thought_ she knew what this was about. She knew this was probably going to happen, but over the last few days she had let herself get her hopes up. Hope was a bitch.  
"So…I...uh...I've thought about how I'm going to tell you what I need to tell, and, well, there's no other way to say it other than just coming out and...well, saying it, so...uh...I..."  
"It's okay." Kayleigh said suddenly." You don't have to tell me, or feel bad about it.. I understand."  
"You-what?" Wilson looked up at her, totally confused.  
Kayleigh stayed quiet for a moment. "You want me to leave, right? It's totally okay, I mean, I knew I was imposing on you the second I asked to stay, so it's completely alright."  
"I-no! No, it's not that at all. I definitely don't want you to go!"  
"I-oh. Umm. Okay. So. What we're you saying?" Kayleigh asked, feeling slightly relieved, but now extremely confused as to what this was about.  
"You...this is gonna be hard to say. And if you do want to leave after I tell you this, that's entirely okay too, alright? But...I do want you to stay. I hope you'll stay. But...if you don't want to stay, you don't have to. But I do-"  
"Dad- what do you need to tell me? You're...kinda scaring me know- just say it."  
"I…okay...Well...It has to do with me...and House... actually. I…we...we're best friends, you know? But, we...we're also..." he looked at Kayleigh uncertainly and realized his throat had totally rendered him incapable of speaking.  
But it was at that moment that a small smile spread across Kayleigh's face.  
"...I knew it..." she said, smiling wider. "...You two are completely in love. You're totally together, aren't you?" she said, almost laughing.  
Which completely shocked Wilson. He thought she would be horrified. Maybe screaming at him, or crying hysterically. But...smiling?  
"I...was it that obvious?" And he just sat there, his mouth agape, and not quite sure what to say.

"No…"Kayleigh said, almost laughing. "I read people pretty well. But, I mean, you two were a little _too_ nervous around each other when he came over…it was like you thought you'd contract the plague or something if you made eye contact with one another."  
Wilson laughed, feeling the beginnings of relief spreading over him. "And…you're...okay with this?"  
"Daddy...what, you thought I'd run out of here sobbing because you're gay?" Kayleigh asked, definatley laughing now.  
'"Well…I...wouldn't that be the normal sixteen year olds reaction?!"  
"No! Well.. maybe for another sixteen year old, but... daddy, I don't care that you're in love with House, or that you two are together. I care that you're happy. Are you?"  
"God, baby, yes, I'm happy. I'm so happy. You have no idea what it means to me that you're okay with this."

And that was that.

A few days had passed since then, and Wilson decided to wait a few days to tell House about Kayleigh's welcome reaction. Wilson acted like he had never told her in the first place and took advantage of the situation one day.  
About a week later, House was sitting on the couch at Wilson's when Kayleigh unexpectedly flopped down next to him. She stared at the T.V. for a few seconds, and then turned around and looked at him.  
"So." She said simply to House. House just stared back at her.  
"So... what's going on..." House asked confusedly.  
"Oh I think you know what's going on..." Kayleigh said seriously, while desperately trying to keep a straight face. This was definate payback.  
"I...no, I don't think I do.." House said slowly. He was not going to be outwitted by a teenage girl.

"Well, hang on a second then..Oh daddy!" Kayleigh called out sweetly to Wilson who was in the next room.

"What...what's going on. What are you doing?" House asked, completely lost.

"Well, this isn't about what I'm doing... This is about_ who you're_ doing..."  
House just sort of...stared back at her. With his jaw basically on the ground.  
"I…what?" The times House had been rendered speechless were far and few between, but this was definitely one of those times. Kayleigh just sort of...smiled back at him. This was too much fun.  
Right on cue, Wilson walked into the room. House turned on him with an interesting expression on his face.  
"You told her?" House said adamantly the second he saw Wilson.  
"...told her what?" Wilson asked innocently, which just annoyed House even more.  
"You told her, and you didn't tell me that you told her"  
"Oh...you mean about us?" Wilson said nonchalantly.

"No, I mean about the crazy leprechaun living in your closet- yes I mean about us!"  
"About us...yeah, I may have mentioned something about it..." Wilson said, the smile on his face growing.  
"I-I…" House couldn't think of anything currently to say to Wilson, so he turned on Kayleigh. "And you! You're- totally fine with this?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Anyways, maybe I should leave you two to talk this over." Kayleigh said with a smile a mile wide as she got off the couch.

"Well…" House said slowly when she had left.

"I-" Wilson started to say but was interrupted.

"By the way-" Kayleigh said, as she had reappeared in the room suddenly. "You two are damn hot together!" and then disappeared again as quickly as she had come.

"You know…" House said slowly. "I'm sort of starting to like this kid!"

Later on that night, House and Wilson were sitting watching a football game on t.v. It had been so long since they could just relax in one another's presence and not have to worry about who was watching them. House, who had been stroking Wilson's hair softly, suddenly pulled him into a gentle kiss until Wilson broke away.  
"House"  
"What?" House asked innocently.

"You've forgotten about the sixteen year old girl sitting in the next room already, haven't you?"  
"Oh, give it a rest Wilson. She's obviously okay with us..."  
"How okay can she really be about it though? We shouldn't be all over each other in front of her yet. Give it some time…" but he was cut short by House, who had started to kiss him again, this time more determinedly.

"Just relax, Wilson…" House said softly when Wilson had pulled away again. "You should be happy about this… I know I am."  
"I am too House …it's just..."  
"Just what…?" House repeated while he kissed Wilson's neck gently until he knew he had him exactly where he wanted him.

"House…_House_…" And House knew he had Wilson when he had said his name the second time, because while the first was said determinedly, the second came out half-whispered and half-moaned.  
"Kayleigh won't care what we do Wilson...she just wants you to be happy..."  
A voice suddenly rang across the living room. "You know for once I actually agree with House." House and Wilson broke apart as they turned and saw Kayleigh standing there. She had never seen anyone that truly resembled a deer in headlights anymore than House and Wilson did at that moment. "I was going out tonight anyways. Have fun boys!"  
And just like that she left the room again, leaving House and Wilson in a slight state of shock alone once again.  
"Girl leaves me speechless more than you do Wilson." House said finally.

"Oh, we'll see about that..." Wilson said quietly as he decided they better finish what they had started before.


	7. Chapter 7

**So, I don't really think anyone's actually reading this story anymore, considering it's from, ehhh two YEARS ago. And in those two years I have not written any fanfiction or watched any House. So. This is going to be a really short chapter, just to see if anyone's still reading this. If you are, leave me a review, even if you're just like "Holy Shit!! You're alive! I'm reading your damn story! Continue!" I'm only writing this because I'm in college, and what do you do best in college…procrastinate! Yay! Yay! Yay!**

**Anyways, this is verrry important: I haven't watched House in like two years (or really any tv for that matter so don't hate meh! That doesn't really matter too much, because the story isn't set in any particular season, but the characters will be waaay ooc probably until I get back into my old writing styles. Except Kayleigh won't be ooc, cuz she doesn't really have a character…cuz she's mine bitches! **

**Disclaimer: If I owned House, I wouldn't be typing this to procrastinate in college :o**

"So, I was thinking. I think you should paint your room black. It would be all, I'm an agsty angry teenager, look at me!"

" Oh, yeah? I think you should paint your cane black. It would be all "I'm an angsty angry doctor, look at me!"

House and Kayleigh were currently camped out in Wilson's abandoned office, which was soon to be the long lost daughters new room. Kayleigh, never having control of anything really in her parent's house was fascinated by the fact that she could actually do whatever she wanted to with her new space. Within legal limits, of course, her dad was quick to point out.

"Oh, that was a good one Kay. Well, I don't know about room decorating, so I'm gonna go watch an episode of Cribs and leave you to it. Have fun little Wilson."

"Speaking of my dad," Kayleigh said as she followed House out of the room and into the living room, "you know when he's going to be home?"

"'Round nine" House said, as he began to focus his attention on the t.v. instead of the sixteen year old sitting next to him. "Many bald headed dying cancer kids to attend to. Don't get jealous, Kay. If you want to see your dad more, maybe you could just shave your head too and he'd pay more attention to you…"

"Ass." Kayleigh said as she grabbed the remote from him and changed the channel. House simply glared at her "He pays more attention to me then he does to you."

"Not in bed he doesn't. And that's the best kind of attention from fathers, you know?!"

Kayleigh just kind of stared at him with a scared look on her face.

House, of course, had said many spiteful, asshole comments over the years. But there were very few times that, if he could literally put words back into his mouth, he would. This was most certainly one of them.

"I…Kay…I, " he started to slowly apologize. "I, uh, didn't mean it like that, I mean, I was just…well I was being an asshole. I didn't mean to bring that up…"

Kayleigh bit her lip and continued to stare at house blankly.

"It's fine," Kayleigh finally said quietly.

"No, it's not fine Kay," House began. "I…well, when I was a kid, I went through sort of something like you did. I mean, not exactly like you did, but, along the same lines. I don't know everything you're going through, but I can kind of relate."

Kayleigh studied House's face curiously. She wasn't sure what to say, and neither was House. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Who the hell..?" House said, as he got up form the couch. Normally he would have yelled at Kayleigh to get it, but it was the perfect opportunity to get away from the situation.

House slowly opened the door to see who it was, and saw a middle aged man standing outside.

"Caaaan I help you?" House said, with a smart-ass attitude.

"That depends..Is there a Kayleigh Schwitzer here?" The man asked, take slightly aback by House's attitude.

"That depends…Who are you?" House retorted back.

"I'm her stepfather. And if she's here, you better move, cripple," the man at the door said, seeing House's cane. "That girl's going to get hell for running away from me."

3


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys. I have no excuse for not updating this other than the fact that I graduated high school, got a boyfriend, who turned into a fiance, who turned into my husband (who I married this weekend), graduated college, moved 4 states away, got a new job. And sometime in between there I also collected a few cats. Sorries. I still should have been writing I really love you all and it makes me so happy that people are actually still reading this.

I don't watch much TV anymore, so this is going to have nothing to do with the current season (not that it ever did since I started this in like '09, but I still felt the need to put in a disclaimer.)

Also, like last chapter, this is going to be really AU probably because I haven't watched much House but I'm hoping that writing his witty and ridiculous humor is like learning to ride a bike and the magic will return. I also have a wicked cold so I'm hoping that the mass amounts of Robitussin I'm on isn't affecting my writing (though the small amount of alcohol could help it for the better, I suppose).

**Anyway...this is SUPER short, to see if anyone is still reading. If you are, please leave a short review so I know ya'll are still there. I PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE I'll update sooner than 3 years from now :)****Read on kids, I love you all! **

**Disclaimer: I still don't own House. Wah. **

Before anyone knew what was happening, Kayleigh had rushed past House, slammed the door, and locked it. She turned around with her back to the door and slumped to the ground at House's feet, the blood drained from her face. House had no idea what had just happened, but he didn't have long to process it as he heard Kayleigh's step-dad banging on the door and yelling to be let in. 

"Quite a temper that one has," House said, trying to lighten the horrible situation they had just found themselves in.

"You don't know the half of it," Kayleigh said, shaking. "Listen, the last thing I wanted was for you guys to be caught up in this. I'm going to go with him- leave you guys out of this-" 

House took his cane and whacked Kayleigh lightly on the head with it.

"I probably shouldn't be hitting you on the head because it appears that you already have brain damage if you really think I'm letting you go _anywhere_ with him."

"You don't know him though, he'll-"

"Kayleigh I know my legs about to fall off which means I'm not getting into any fights soon but don't you think that your dad and I can outsmart _him_ and get you out of this? It's not like he's going to blow up the place, we're fine."

Kayleigh's step-dad continued to pound on the door until he gave up. 

"I'll be back you dumb bitch," he said before he left. "Don't know what the hell you think you are doing running away, but at least I know where you are now."

Kayleigh tried to hold back a sob. She wasn't sure what was going to happen but she was glad she finally had someone to help her through it.

**Sorry it's sooo short I already have some of the next chapter written, I really just wanted to see who's all still out there…Please review **


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for all of the lovely reviews! Even after 6 years they are still coming, and that is why you guys are amazing! I'm still struggling a little to get back into the fandom/ story so if you have any ideas please let me know!

WhySoSerious1992: You're review made me so happy! I'm the same way, I haven't been into this fandom in a loong so I'm glad to be back in it :)

Krishnalia: I was able to update a little faster than last time hahha so I hope you enjoy! 

OldSFan: Thank you! And glad you like it so far!

House1Nocturne:Thank you! :) And I'm glad you are still reading :)

Chapter 9 

After the close encounter with her step-dad, Kayleigh was extremely shaken. House didn't know exactly what had happened to her in the past, but he knew it must have been worse than he originally thought judging by her reaction. He felt like he personally knew what she was going through which just made it worse, especially seeing how it hurt Wilson also.

House was worried that if he called Wilson and told him what had happened he would want to come rushing home. He was right, but he eventually convinced Wilson that coming home right now was the very last thing he should be doing with Kayleigh's crazed step father somewhere out there, and he was able to make him stay at work for the rest of his day- although House would have loved for him to come home right that second. House wished they could simply end this whole thing by calling the police, but with Kayleigh being a run away they couldn't risk that. It seemed like there was no easy solution to this- no simple diagnosis.

Kayleigh was slumped on the couch and House was limping around the room, pacing. She knew she was now stuck inside all day with a bored and anxious House, and this was not a fun prospect. She finally voiced her concern that her step dad may call the police now that he knew where she was but House quickly countered that with the fact that he would have shown up with the police in the first place today, if he wasn't worried about Kayleigh reporting him for the abuse. They would just have to wait it out.

Kayleigh decided that she would call her mother tomorrow to try and talk things out- she realized it couldn't hurt now that they knew where she was. It was the only hope for getting her step father to leave them alone and she desperately hoped she could convince her mom that this was where she belonged. She couldn't of asked for a better father- and even House wasn't so bad once you got used to him. She began to watch his endless pacing around the room.

"You know House, you're an asshole, but I'm glad my dad has you. You guys seemed happy... at least before I came along." 

"Oh don't play the pity party on me kid. You make your dad happy, which makes me happy...even if you are a pain in the ass."

"I think that's definitely one of the nicest things you've said to me." Kayeligh said with a laugh.

"Don't push it. I don't want your dad to know that I actually have real emotions. That would just complicate our relationship!" 

A few hours had passed and thankfully there was no sign again of Kayleigh's step-father. They spent the afternoon watching General Hospital, much to Kay's dismay so she took the opportunity to ask House some questions she had been wondering about. 

"So did you and my dad know each other before you worked together, or did you meet at the hospital?" Kay had assumed that they had met at work but she had recently been wondering if that was the case.

"Your dear old dad was wasted, got into a bar fight, and I saved his ass. The rest is history." Kay was disappointed, as she was expecting a real answer and not one of House's made up stories. 

"Very funny," Kayleigh rolled her eyes at him "I'll just assume you met at work..." 

"For once I'm actually not being a sarcastic bastard, but you can ask your dad when he gets home."

Eventually Wilson did make his way home safely much to the relief of House and Kayleigh. House saw how much more visibly relaxed Kayleigh was once Wilson was around, which assured him that Wilson's incessant worries about being an inadequate father were not justified. Kayleigh eventually fell asleep on one of the couches, with House and Wilson on another couch across from her. Wilson was fixated on Kayleigh and seemed to be off in another world. House reached out and stroked his hair, which seemed to startle Wilson a little.

"You alright?" House asked quietly.

"Yeah...just worried about Kayleigh..."

"We'll figure this out. I know you're worried about being her father, but for what it's worth you've been a better dad to her in the short time that you've known her than most fathers are to their kids their whole life. So quit worrying." Wilson leaned into him as a sign of thanks. He had Kayleigh, and he had House and it seemed like for now that was all he needed.


End file.
